Rod Barajas homers in ninth inning to lift Mets to 5-4 win over Reds

Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesRod Barajas is quickly making the Mets' failed bid to sign catcher Bengie Molina a distant memory.CINCINNATI -- Rod Barajas wasn’t the Mets’ first choice among free-agent catchers last winter. But he is quickly making their failed bid to sign Bengie Molina a distant memory, and not just because of his work with the pitching staff.

Barajas homered in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday to lift the Mets to a 5-4 win over the Reds, his fourth homer in his last four games and seventh of the season.

Fernando Nieve blew a two-run lead by giving up a pair of solo home runs in the eighth inning. But Barajas drilled the first pitch from Francisco Cordero an estimated 383 feet into the left field stands. And Francisco Rodriguez picked up the save in the bottom of the ninth as the Mets ended a three-game losing streak.

John Maine allowed just one earned run in six innings, marking the second consecutive night the Mets have gotten a quality start from their pitcher.

The Mets’ offense couldn’t take advantage of Oliver Perez’s performance Monday but gave Maine just enough support Tuesday. David Wright hit a 455-foot homer, Jose Reyes and Jeff Francoeur each had an RBI single and Jason Bay drove in a run with a sac fly.

Maine allowed two runs, one of which was unearned because of a throwing error by Jeff Francoeur.

Joey Votto and Scott Rolen hit back-to-back homers off Nieve in the eighth inning to tie the game at 4.